Charles Lane

A highly enterprising black filmmaker and actor, Lane played the leading role in his own low-budget comedy-drama, "Sidewalk Stories" (1989), which he also wrote and edited. An unusual effort in that i...
Read More...

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
And the 2014 Emmy Nominees Are...

Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
Follow @Michael Arbeiter
//
| Follow @Hollywood_com
//

A TV mini-series starring Diane Lane as former First Lady Hillary Clinton has been scrapped on the same day a planned CNN documentary about the U.S. politician was also axed. Producers at America's NBC network had been developing a new show focusing on Clinton's time in the White House during the second term of her husband Bill's presidency.
However, network bosses have now pulled production on the project, releasing a statement which reads, "After reviewing and prioritising our slate of movie/mini-series development, we've decided that we will no longer continue developing the Hillary Clinton mini-series."
The news comes as director Charles Ferguson decided against moving ahead with his Clinton documentary for CNN amid claims sources in both the Democratic and Republican party refused to speak on camera about the former Secretary of State.
He said, "When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film. Not Democrats, not Republicans - and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration."
Both projects also came under pressure from Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus, who vowed to boycott the networks if executives pressed ahead with plans to unfairly promote Clinton ahead of the 2016 presidential elections, when she is expected to put herself forward as a candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

Carrie Devorah/WENN
UPDATE: NBC has announced that it has canceled development on its Hillary Clinton miniseries, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The decision comes hours after CNN Films formally dropped its planned Clinton-inspired documentary after pressure from political parties and the Clinton administration.
"After reviewing and prioritizing our slate of movie/miniseries development, we’ve decided that we will no longer continue developing the Hillary Clinton miniseries," the network said in a statement Monday.
The four-hour miniseries, expected to be written and directed by Courtney Hunt (Frozen River), was to star Diane Lane as the former first lady and secretary of state.
EARLIER: CNN Films has canceled its planned 2014 Hillary Clinton documentary following director Charles Ferguson's (Inside Job) decision to drop out. Ferguson withdrew his name from the film after being stonewalled by political parties, according to the blog he wrote for The Huffington Post.
Even though CNN and NBC were recently banned from hosting or sponsoring the Republican Primary debates in 2016 by the Republican National Committee because of their Clinton-inspired productions, Ferguson claims that the decision to cancel the movie was not because of pressure from CNN. Instead, he felt that he would not be able to make a movie that he could be proud of because of the resistance from democrats, republicans, and the Clinton administration.
"When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film," says Ferguson in his blog. "Not Democrats, not Republicans -- and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration."
For now, we'll all just have to wait and see if NBC actually follows through with its Clinton-inspired miniseries in the wake of all of this CNN showbiz-turned-political drama.
More:Hillary Clinton Programming Causes GOP to Ban CNN and NBC From Presidential Primary DebatesIs the Hillary Clinton Biopic Going to Cause a Problem for NBC News?10 Reason the Ridiculous Hillary Clinton Biopic Will Never Get Made
Follow @CaseyRackham Follow @hollywood_com
From Our Partners:
A Complete History Of Twerking (1993-2013) (Vh1)15 Stars Share Secrets of their Sex Lives (Celebuzz)

A planned CNN documentary about U.S. politician Hillary Clinton has been axed. Director Charles Ferguson reveals he has been struggling find sources among Clinton's Democratic Party and her Republican rivals who would be willing to speak on camera about the former First Lady and Secretary of State, so he's been left with little choice but to scrap the project altogether.
In a post on his Huffington Post blog, he writes, "When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film. Not Democrats, not Republicans - and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration.
"After painful reflection, I decided that I couldn't make a film of which I would be proud. And so I'm cancelling...
"It's a victory for the Clintons, and for the money machines that both political parties have now become. But I don't think that it's a victory for the media, or for the American people."
The feature-length documentary had been due to focus on Clinton's career in office and speculation about plans to run for the White House in 2016. It was one of two productions in the works about Bill Clinton's wife - actress Diane Lane is set to portray the politician in a forthcoming mini-series for America's NBC network.
The announcements of both projects this summer (13) prompted an angry response from Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus, who accused network bosses of unfairly promoting Clinton ahead of the next presidential elections. He vowed to boycott the two channels if the film and TV series were not scrapped.

Gossip Girl is known for the many schemes, hoaxes, and scandals that pepper every single episode. But the other important component that makes this show what it is? The fashion. And no one on the Upper East Side is more fashionable than Charles Bartholomew “Chuck” Bass.
Over the last six seasons of Gossip Girl, we’ve seen Chuck wear some pretty out-there fashions, taking some daring risks when it comes to colors and prints, and watched him make even the most casual of days a walk down the runway. From his high school days as a preppy stoner to now, when you can't catch him in anything but a suave suit, his fashion sense has matured along with his character.
When we say goodbye to Gossip Girl once and for all tonight when the two-hour series finale airs, we will get our last glimpse of Chuck’s weirdly awesome style, and his most fashionable look as he finally heads to the altar with longtime love, Blair. Before that happens, take a trip down memory lane and check out all the crazy fashions of Chuck Bass!
THE CRAZY FASHIONS OF CHUCK BASS!
Follow Sydney on Twitter @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: The CW]
More:
'Gossip Girl': OMG! Chuck And Blair Get [SPOILER], But Who's Getting Arrested? — PIC
'Gossip Girl': Who ELSE Is Getting Married?!? — PIC
OMG! Identity of 'Gossip Girl' Will Be Revealed!
From Our Partners:
Bar Refaeli Strips Down for New Underwear Campaign (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Kim Kardashians Best Bikini Moments (PHOTOS)

Gossip Girl’s Charles Bartholomew “Chuck” Bass is many things: a playboy-turned-romantic, hotel owner, business head, master-schemer. But perhaps the most important moniker he owns is Upper East Side fashionista.
Over the last six seasons of Gossip Girl, we’ve seen Chuck wear some pretty out-there fashions, taken some daring risks when it comes to colors and prints, and watched him make even the most casual of days a walk down the runway. When it comes to Gossip Girl fashion, he is second only to Queen B, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). Makes sense, as they are the perfect couple – fashionably and romantically.
Maybe if Chuck was portrayed by an American, he would lose some of his crazy and eccentric swag, but thank god he’s not: Brit Ed Westwick has put quite the European spin on the billionaire’s wardrobe.
When we say goodbye to Gossip Girl once and for all on Dec. 17 when the two-hour series finale airs, we will get our last glimpse of Chuck’s weirdly awesome style. Before that happens, take a trip down memory lane and check out all the crazy fashions of Chuck Bass!
THE CRAZY FASHIONS OF CHUCK BASS!
Follow Sydney on Twitter @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: The CW]
More:
'Gossip Girl': OMG! Chuck And Blair Get [SPOILER], But Who's Getting Arrested? — PIC
'Gossip Girl': Who ELSE Is Getting Married?!? — PIC
OMG! Identity of 'Gossip Girl' Will Be Revealed!
From Our Partners:
Country Music Association Awards 2012: See the Best-Dressed Stars of the Night (PHOTOS)
(Celebuzz)
’The X Factor’ Live Shows: 10 Things You Didn’t See on TV (Celebuzz)

Robert Zemeckis is a blockbuster director at heart. Action has never been an issue for the man behind Back to the Future. When he puts aside the high concept adventures for emotional human stories — think Forrest Gump or Cast Away — he still goes big. His latest Flight continues the trend revolving the story of one man's fight with alcoholism around a terrifying plane crash. Zemeckis expertly crafts his roaring centerpiece and while he finds an agile performer in Denzel Washington the hour-and-a-half of Flight after the shocking moment can't sustain the power. The "big" works. The intimate drowns.
Washington stars as Whip Whitaker a reckless airline pilot who balances his days flying jumbo jets with picking up women snorting lines of cocaine and drinking himself to sleep. Although drunk for the flight that will change his life forever that's not the reason the plane goes down — in fact it may be the reason he thinks up his savvy landing solution in the first place. Writer John Gatins follows Whitaker into the aftermath madness: an investigation of what really happened during the flight Whitaker's battle to cap his addictions and budding relationships that if nurtured could save his life.
Zemeckis tops his own plane crash in Cast Away with the heart-pounding tailspin sequence (if you've ever been scared of flying before Flight will push into phobia territory). In the few scenes after the literal destruction Washington is able to convey an equal amount of power in the moments of mental destruction. Whitaker is obviously crushed by the events the bottle silently calling for him in every down moment. Flight strives for that level of introspection throughout eventually pairing Washington with equally distraught junkie Nicole (Kelly Reilly). Their relationship is barely fleshed out with the script time and time again resorting to obvious over-the-top depictions of substance abuse (a la Nic Cage's Leaving Las Vegas) and the bickering that follows. Washington's Whitaker hits is lowest point early sitting there until the climax of the film.
Sharing screentime with the intimate tale is the surprisingly comical attempt by the pilot's airline union buddy (Bruce Greenwood) and the company lawyer (Don Cheadle) to get Whitaker into shape. Prepping him for inquisitions looking into evidence from the wreckage and calling upon Whitaker's dealer Harling (John Goodman) to jump start their "hero" when the time is right the two men do everything they can to keep any blame being placed upon Whitaker by the National Transportation Safety Board investigators. The thread doesn't feel relevant to Whitaker's plight and in turn feels like unnecessary baggage that pads the runtime.
Everything in Fight shoots for the skies — and on purpose. The music is constantly swelling the photography glossy and unnatural and rarely do we breach Washington's wild exterior for a sense of what Whitaker's really grappling with. For Zemeckis Flight is still a spectacle film with Washington's ability to emote as the magical special effect. Instead of using it sparingly he once again goes big. Too big.
="font-style:>

An empty rowboat sways back and forth in black shallow waters. You hear the sound of a squeaky swing as the wind rustles through an abandoned playground. Shutters crash against the windows during a thunderstorm. A rickety attic reveals a disturbing toy with a menacing grin in the darkness…
If you’re a twenty-something American, then you know exactly what these disturbing images have in common — they could all be found in the opening credits of Nickelodeon’s half-hour horror TV show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? A group of thrill-seeking teens — known as "The Midnight Society" — would meet every Saturday night in a secret spot in the woods to take turns telling ghost stories to the rest of group. Each narrator would begin their tale by saying, “Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story…” and then toss a handful of “midnight dust” (it was actually non-dairy creamer) into the fire.
Premiering in 1991, nearly 100 episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? aired on Nick’s Saturday Night line-up — better known as the beloved 2-hour amazingness, Snick—and nearly all of the episodes left us wanting to sleep with the lights on for all eternity. Whether it be ghosts, clowns, vampires, or just fear itself, it seemed that every time a child was sent to their aunt or uncle’s house they were just begging to be tormented by some kind of supernatural unknown. In the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve, we at Hollywood.com have painstakingly faced our childhood fears to present to you the 13 most terrifying episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark?.
We hope you enjoy your trip down a spine-chilling Memory Lane…
13. The Tale of the Twisted Claw
Made us scared of: Witches, and getting what you wished for
Remember when… Two friends, Dougie and Kevin, decided to grow some balls and go trick-or-treating at Miss Clove’s house, aka the neighborhood witch. Too bad she was still super pissed at them for playing a trick on her the night before, because she gave them a twisted claw, granting each of them three (consequence-filled) wishes. After being attacked by Halloween hoodlums, causing a classmate to break his leg, killing Dougie’s parents, and raising a grandparent back from the dead, the boys finally apologized.
20 Years Later: We still overanalyze every hypothetical wish we make.
12. The Tale of the 13th Floor
Made us scared of: Aliens, and our own siblings
Remember when… Billy and his adopted sister Karin used to play on the abandoned thirteenth floor of their apartment building... until the super weird new tenants moved in. After appearing to Karin through her TV late at night while she was sleeping, the neighbors beckoned Karin to come upstairs and test out some games in the toy factory that they magically built overnight. Karin brought her brother, and quickly learned that she had telekinetic abilities. When the strangers revealed that they were blank-faced aliens — and that they were taking her back with them on the mothership — Karin rightfully freaked the eff out. But, as it turned out, she was an alien too.
20 Years Later: The aliens’ hands beckoning from the ceiling are still super creepy.
11. The Tale of Watcher's Woods
Made us scared of: The woods, and old ladies
Remember when… Three young girls went hiking through the Watcher’s Woods in 1919, and were never ever seen again. The only clue the search party ever found was their whistles. Exactly 75 years later, too-cool-for camp Kelly and goody-goody Sarah got lost in the same woods, and discovered that the three girls —now super creepy old ladies — had been cursed for all eternity by The Watcher, to be trapped in the woods until they found their whistles. To save Kelly from torture, Sarah had to navigate past the uber creepy creatures in the woods to bring the women their whistles. 20 Years Later: The thought of reaching our hand into a bucket of mice is still terrifying. 10. The Tale Of The Pinball Wizard
Made us scared of: Arcades, and pinball games
Remember when… The only thing that Ross was ever good at was playing pinball, so when he found a new machine in the back of Mr. Olson’s store he was desperate to play it — even though the shopkeeper specifically told him not to. Ross lost track of time playing the game, and was locked inside the mall after it closed. Then the characters from the pinball game came to life, and Ross had to defeat a wicked witch, a group of zombies, and power hungry knight to escape. After several tries Ross finally crowned the princess and beat the game, but we soon learned that Ross was forever trapped in Mr. Olson’s pinball machine, and would never ever get out.
20 Years Later: Do pinball arcades still exist?
NEXT: The Tale of the Prom Queen
9. The Tale of the Prom Queen
Made us scared of: Being stood up for prom, and ghosts
Remember when… Dee Dee, a new girl in town, became friends with two thrill-seeking boys, who told her the treacherous tale of the Prom Queen. Back in 1956 a girl named Judy was killed by a hit-and-run on prom night, just outside of the cemetery. From then on, every year the ghost of the girl would appear amongst the headstones to wait for her boyfriend, Ricky, to finally pick her up for their special night. Dee Dee and the boys held a séance to find out why Ricky never came, and it turned out he was so upset by his girlfriend’s death that he drove his car off a bridge. On prom night, Ricky and his ghostly Chevy finally arrived in the cemetery, and it was revealed that Dee Dee (a nickname for Judy) was the Prom Queen ghost all along!
20 Years Later: Still one of the most shocking twists in Are You Afraid of The Dark? history.
8. The Tale of the Dark Music
Made us scared of: Basements, closets, and the dark
Remember when… A boy, his mom, and his bratty sister moved into their uncle’s old house. The basement was beyond creepy, and every time loud music was played, something evil — like a life-sized doll, or a skeleton — escaped from the closet to terrorize whoever was near. When the boy had multiple run-ins with the neighborhood bully, he locked his tormentor in the basement and turned the stereo up full blast. The bully was dragged into the pits of hell, and the boy was left with a shiny new bike and the knowledge that if he fed the closet, he would be rewarded with whatever he wanted. Looks like his sister is next…
20 Years Later: Hell no. Dark basements will always be scary.
7. The Tale of the Frozen Ghost
Made us scared of: Ghosts, and dying without a jacket on
Remember when… A pretentious little boy named Charles and his babysitter Daphne (Melissa Joan Hart!!) were sent off to Charles' aunt's house in the country. Charles was immediately haunted by a pale little ghost boy, dressed in all white, who kept repeating the words “I’m cold” over and over again. Very creepy. While running away from the ghost in the woods, Daphne and Charles found a red jacket stuffed in an old log. They returned the coat, and the little ghost boy was able to move on (warmly) to the afterlife.
20 Years Later: The only thing worse than being cold is hearing someone else constantly complain about it.
6. The Tale of the Dollmaker
Made us scared of: Dolls and attics
Remember when… Melissa used to enjoy spending the weekends at her Aunt and Uncle’s house, so she could play with her best friend Susan Henderson in the house next door. One weekend, Melissa learned that her BFF had mysteriously disappeared, and Susan’s parents had moved out of the house to get away from their grief. When Melissa saw something in the Hendersons' attic, she went in to investigate, and soon found a dollhouse that was an exact miniature of the Hendersons' house. She found that Susan had been trapped in the dollhouse, and that her limbs had been turned into porcelain. To save her, Melissa entered the miniature house and ended up jumping out of a second story window with Susan to avoid the curse.
20 Years Later: Eff that. Porcelain dolls will always be creepy
5. The Tale of the Lonely Ghost
Made us scared of: Ghosts, mirrors, and backwards writing
Remember when… Bookworm Amanda was sent to live with her aunt for the summer, and had to put up with her obnoxious cousin Beth and her bratty friends. Before she was "allowed" to hang out with them, Amanda had to stay the night in the abandoned house next door, that was rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl. As it turned out, when she was alive the mute little girl was tormented by her peers and locked in her bedroom, but because she couldn’t talk she was never found. After scaring the crap out of everyone by appearing in the mirror and scribbling “HELP ME” backwards all over the walls, Amanda reunited the young girl with her mother.
20 Years Later: We still jump watching the clip above
NEXT: The Tale of Laughing in the Dark
4. The Tale of Laughing in the Dark
Made us scared of: Clowns, funhouses, and second-hand smoke
Remember when… The cigar-loving Zeebo the Clown stole money from the circus, and hid from the authorities in the funhouse. But before he could make off with the cash, Zeebo’s bad habit accidently sparked a fire, and everyone believed that the clown was burned alive. Years later, Josh — an obnoxious, cocky redhead —decided to steal Zeebo’s nose to prove that the funhouse wasn't haunted. It was all fun and games until that freaky-ass clown starting leaving threatening calls, and terrorized Josh at his home. The little punk returned the nose, and gave Zeebo a full box of cigars to say he was sorry.
20 Years Later: F*** clowns.
3. The Tale of the Dead Man's Float
Made us scared of: Pools, lakes, and basically all bodies of water (including bathtubs)
Remember when… Zeke, a chemistry nerd, was hopelessly in love with swimming superstar Clorice, and he agreed to tutor her in science if she taught him how to swim. The two set out on a raft in the school’s pool, unaware that it had been built over an old graveyard many years ago and that now, one of the spirits was super pissed. After being chased around the pool and withstanding a foul, rotten-egg smell, Zeke used his chemistry knowledge to destroy the monster, and in the process he learned how to swim.
20 Years Later: The creature that emerges from the pool is without a doubt one of the scariest things ever seen on Are You Afraid of the Dark?.
2. The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner
Made us scared of: Clowns, comic books, and stupid people
Remember when… Ethan went to the grand opening of a comic book store, and received a one-of-a-kind copy of the Ghastly Grinner — a comic about a Joker/Clown villain who turns his victims into brainless, blue-goo sprouting, laughing idiots. When his comic book got wet Ethan thoughtfully put it in the microwave, but instead of drying the pages, the radiation brought the Ghastly Grinner to life. The creep terrorized the entire town, just like in the books. In an attempt to destroy the cackling clown, Ethan created a new comic book, but ended up getting trapped inside. Just as he was about to be turned into a mindless zombie, Ethan’s friend Hooper erased the Ghastly Grinner from the comic book, and destroyed him for good.
20 Years Later: Once again, with feeling: F*ck clowns!
1. The Tale of Midnight Madness
Made us scared of: Vampires, movie theaters, and silent movies
Remember when… Pete and Katie worked at an old movie theater, and were desperate to do whatever it took to keep it from getting shut down. So when Dr. Vink showed up and promised increased ticket sales if they showed his films, of course they agreed to the deal. But when Pete and Katie didn't hold up their end of the bargain, Vink allowed his most terrifying movie villain, the classic Vampire-Demon Nosferatu, to emerge from the movie screen. Even though he never said a word, Nosferatu and his long pointy fingernails truly terrified the cinema co-workers, and chased them around the theaters in an attempt to suck out their blood. Eventually Pete jumped onscreen and destroyed Nosferatu’s coffin, killing the vampire. But that’s not the end of the tale — Dr. Vink got the deed to the movie theater, and gleefully claimed that he would continue to show his movies each week... assuring us that his other films are far more terrifying than this one.
20 Years Later: We’ve spent many a sleepless nights hiding under the covers because of this one half-hour episode.
I declare this meeting of the Midnight Society closed. Which episode of Are You Afraid of The Dark? scared you the most? Scream it out in the comments below!
Follow Leanne on Twitter @LeanneAguilera
[Photo Credit: Nickelodeon]
MORE:
Is This 'Walking Dead' Zombie the Scariest One Ever? – EXCLUSIVE PICS
'Modern Family' Does Halloween Early: Which Shows Are Playing Dress-Up Next?
'Vampire Diaries' Recap: The First Cut Is The Deepest
From Our Partners:
Mila Kunis Goes Topless for Esquire Cover — PHOTOS
(Celebuzz)
’Bring It On’ Star Struck By Car and Killed (Celebuzz)

There's an allure to imperfection. With his latest drama Lawless director John Hillcoat taps directly into the side of human nature that draws us to it. Hillcoat finds it in Prohibition history a time when the regulations of alcohol consumption were subverted by most of the population; He finds it in the rural landscapes of Virginia: dingy raw and mesmerizing. And most importantly he finds it in his main character Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) the scrappy third brother of a moonshining family who is desperate to prove his worth. Jack forcefully injects himself into the family business only to discover there's an underbelly to the underbelly. Lawless is a beautiful film that's violent as hell striking in a way only unfiltered Americana could be.
Acting as the driver for his two outlaw brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke) isn't enough for Jack. He's enticed by the power of the gangster figure and entranced by what moonshine money can buy. So like any fledgling entrepreneur Jack takes matters into his own hands. Recruiting crippled family friend/distillery mastermind Cricket (Dane DeHaan) the young whippersnapper sets out to brew his own batch sell it to top dog Floyd Banner and make the family rich. The plan works — but it puts the Bondurant boys in over their heads with a new threat: the corrupt law enforcers of Chicago.
Unlike many stories of crime life Lawless isn't about escalation. The movie drifts back and forth leisurely popping in moments like the beats of a great TV episode. One second the Bondurants could be talking shop with their female shopkeep Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain). The next Forrest is beating the bloody pulp out of a cop blackmailing their operation. The plot isn't thick; Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave preferring to bask in the landscapes the quiet moments the haunting terror that comes with a life on the other side of the tracks. A feature film doesn't offer enough time for Lawless to build — it recalls cinema-level TV currently playing on outlets like HBO and AMC that have truly spoiled us — but what the duo accomplish is engrossing.
Accompanying the glowing visuals and Cave's knockout workout on the music side (a toe-tapping mix of spirituals bluegrass and the writer/musician's spine-tingling violin) are muted performances from some of Hollywood's rising stars. Despite LaBeouf's off-screen antics he lights up Lawless and nails the in-deep whippersnapper. His playful relationship with a local religious girl (Mia Wasikowska) solidifies him as a leading man but like everything in the movie you want more. Tom Hardy is one of the few performers who can "uurrr" and "mmmnerm" his way through a scene and come out on top. His greatest sparring partner isn't a hulking thug but Chastain who brings out the heart of the impenetrable beast. The real gem of Lawless is Guy Pearce as the Bondurant trio's biggest threat. Shaved eyebrows pristine city clothes and a temper like a rabid wolverine Pearce's Charlie Rakes is the most frightening villain of 2012. He viciously chews up every moment he's on screen. That's even before he starts drawing blood.
Lawless is the perfect movie for the late August haze — not quite the Oscary prestige picture or the summertime shoot-'em-up. It's drama that has its moonshine and swigs it too. Just don't drink too much.
="font-style:>

Wrote, produced and starred in award-winning student short, "A Place in Time", filmed silent and in black and white

Summary

A highly enterprising black filmmaker and actor, Lane played the leading role in his own low-budget comedy-drama, "Sidewalk Stories" (1989), which he also wrote and edited. An unusual effort in that it was silent as well as black and white, it paid overt homage to the great silent comics of yore and garnered critical acclaim for its sensitive, Chaplinesque portrayal of a homeless man who cares for an abandoned little girl. Lane followed up with the decidedly more expensive and mainstream comedy "True Identity" (1991), based on an Eddie Murphy "Saturday Night Live" sketch about a black actor who disguises himself as a white man to hide from the underworld. Despite containing some interesting satirical insights into the social construction of race and racial identity, the film did less well with critics than his initial effort and, lacking any big names, did very poorly at the box office.<p>Despite this setback, Lane continued to develop his own, very personal projects. He made his TV directorial debut with a well-received original production for PBS's "American Playhouse" series, "Hallelujah" (1993), about a young black minister assigned to a church in Washington, DC. Lane also acted a role in Melvin Van Peeble's angrily revisionist but slickly superficial black Western, "Posse" (1993).

Name

Role

Comments

Laura Lane

Wife

separated

Nicole Lane

Daughter

born c. 1987; appeared with father in "Sidewalk Stories" (1989) at age two

Julian Lane

Son

born on February 10, 1991

Education

Name

State University of New York, Purchase

Notes

His "Sidewalk Stories" won eleven international film awards.

Lane received the Guggenheim Special Award for "Inspiration to Children"

He was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame (1990).

Lane is not to be confused with the durable, prolific and delightfully recognizable character actor Charles Lane, a gaunt, hawk-nosed supporting and small part player most typically cast as officious snoops, who has credits in films from the early 1930s until the 90s and TV credits from the early 50s until the 90s as well.